Welcome back to GT and an exciting new year! I hope each of you had an enjoyable summer. I anticipate a productive year and look forward to working with you and your student!

Goals

To help gifted and talented students develop a healthy self-concept about their giftedness so that they may interact effectively with other gifted students, peers, and society.

To allow gifted and talented students to employ creative, productive, and critical thinking skills along with in-depth contents to generate complex and intricate products appropriate to their giftedness.

To help gifted and talented students extend self-directed learning skills to become independent, creative adults.

Overview

The middle school gifted and talented program serves as a bridge between a curriculum of thematic units at the elementary school and the core subject area focus of the high school. At HCMS, interdisciplinary themes have been chosen as an organizational tool for delivering content. Students will review and practice creative, critical, and productive thinking skills and explore a variety of topics in weekly sessions with the GT Specialist.

Our theme for the 2017-18 school year will be "Global Perspectives." We will examine this theme throughout the fall term using both the depth and complexity icons and interdisciplinary connections, including core subject connections. Students are also invited to complete a guided independent study on a topic of high interest to them in the spring.

Sixth, seventh, and eighth grade GT students are offered the opportunity to take advantage of activities such as Destination Imagination, academic contests, Future City Engineering, Science Days, Stock Market Game, Debate Club, and other projects as they become available. More information about many of these activities can be found on the tabs on this website.

To facilitate the delivery of the gifted and talented program, 6th grade GT students will be grouped into a “GT World Cultures” social studies class (three class sections). The 7th grade GT students will be grouped together in “GT Texas History” classes (three class sections). The 8th grade GT students will be grouped into “GT American History” classes (three class sections).

An elective class (“Above and Beyond”) is available and recommended for gifted and talented students in grades 7 and 8.

ScheduleStudents are scheduled to work with a GT Specialist once per week during their Social Studies class (grades 6/ 7/8). With the permission of the GT teacher and the classroom teacher, students may come to GT at other times to work on individual projects. Fridays, with a few exceptions, are designated "GT Open Door Days" from periods 2-6.

Supplies

Students will be asked to read a variety of materials including news articles and other informational pieces, essays, and literary selections. When students come to class, they should bring with them a pen or pencil, an iPad, and any other needed materials for projects or activities we are doing.

Classroom Management

I believe that all students can behave appropriately in the classroom without disrupting the learning process. All students are expected to demonstrate respect for each other, visitors, the teacher, materials, ideas, and school property. If problems should occur, parents will be notified, and appropriate action will be taken. All students are expected to arrive on time after checking in with his /her teacher, to have necessary materials, and to be prepared to participate in all class activities.

Evaluation and Conferences

Informal feedback is available at all times! A formal evaluation rubric will be sent home at the end of the semester. Conferences may be arranged by calling the school at 732-9220 (x 31426) and setting up an appointment. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.